Teenagers jailed for killing friend during gambling

Two teenage boys from Christon Bank, approximately 30 km north of Harare, have been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment each for fatally stabbing another teenager during a card game. Initially denying a murder charge, they pleaded guilty to culpable homicide.

High Court judge Justice Esther Muremba reviewed the evidence and determined that the accused, aged 16 and 17 (not named for legal reasons), knowingly used knives to fatally stab the victim in vulnerable parts of his body. The court dismissed their claim that the dispute arose over a romantic rivalry, finding no corroborating evidence from witnesses.

Justice Muremba concluded that the accused acted intentionally and without provocation, resulting in murder as defined in the Criminal Law Code. Citing sentencing guidelines, she imposed a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment for murder committed under aggravating circumstances.

According to court documents, the incident occurred on May 6 last year at Nduna tuckshop within the SAS Mine compound in Mazowe. A verbal dispute during a card game escalated into a physical confrontation, leading to the fatal stabbing of the victim. Despite the accused fleeing the scene, the victim succumbed to his injuries upon arrival at the hospital.

The defence's arguments of immaturity and provocation were dismissed, with the court emphasizing the seriousness of the offence based on witness testimonies and forensic evidence presented during the trial.